Prince of the Gypsies
by Evil Ballerina
Summary: Leena is your average farm girl. Charming and hard working, she has no time for vain luxeries. But when she meets a handsome young man at the town square one day, things went from normal to bizzare.


The ride to town was rather uneventful. It usually was-riding with her father wasn't exactly the most exciting event around. Though Leena couldn't complain. Going to town was a treat for a small time country girl. It was a chance to escape from the busy chores of the home and land, and a chance to see new sights and wonderful goods from far off.

"Here Leena, take a few coins and buy some ribbons for your hair"

"thank you father"

Leena took the coins and put them in her small pouch-liliac like her bodice. She finished tying off the braid in her long black hair and smiled as the two of them entered the town gates. People were bustling around doing business. Merchants lying about the quality of their goods, mothers haggling for eggs to feed their children. And the children! How the bustled about running and chasing each other around the well, it was a wonder that one of them didn't fall in! Leena and her father passed by a stack of hay and an idea schemed its way into Leena's mind. Without so much as a word of warning she lept off the moving wagon and landed in the hay-causing the straws to burst forth like a volcanic reaction and strew themselves array. Standing up, she laughed as she brushed off the hay straws and picked them out of her hair.

"I don't think that is how you are supposed to get off wagons"

Leena turned around and before her stood a tall, good looking man. Tan with beautiful mahogony hair. Smiling and blushing, Leena nodded, "I know, for some reason I never seem to get it right" The young man continued to smile, "Nice to meet you, what is your name?" "Leena"

"An odd name for an odd girl"

Again, Leena blushed. This man was rather peculiar, but for some reason she liked him - in a quirky kind of way. The two of them began walking, and began talking.

"What's your name?"

"Is it that important to you?"

"Well...no"

"Then why ask me?"

"Most girls like to know who they are talking to"

"You don't know me?"

"I am beginning to know you"

"So, why the need to know my name?"

Leena shrugged and the two of them stopped at a fruit stand. Leena leaned in to smell the crisp sweet smell of the apples, and was just about to ask how much one would cost her when the stand owner gave a small dip and said curtly, "What ever you like you can have"

_That's odd,_ Leena thought to herself moments later, nibbling on her apple, _that man acted as if we were someone famous._

"Why was that man so weird back there?"

"Oh, it might have been me"

"Why?"

"You can consider me a historical figure I guess"

"Oh. So what is your name?"

"You're never going to stop with that are you?"

"No, not really''

"Fine, my name is Velkan."

"Nice name"

"It doesn't mean anything to you?"

"No...should it?"

"N-no...nevermind."

A hobbly old figure was seen across the town square leaving a thatched building, and Leena recognized the figure. Father! She managed to avoid collisions with several workers and children (as well as a misplaced lamb) and ran up to her father smiling, but panting.

"Father!" she exclaimed, "I've had such a fun time today! I met this nice man today, weird, but nice. And then we began walking about, though some of the people looked at us funny. I think that might have been the hay in my hair, but anyway, as I was saying-"

"Hello"

Velkan's voice was behind you, and you smiled and swerved about. Your father's face changed from a happy expression to a befuddled humble one. Instantly, he swept down onto one knee, "Hello yourself, your majesty"

Leena turned around, her mouth wide open. "Your majesty?" The man smiled and ran his fingers nervously through his hair, "Well I must have forgotten to tell you something. I'm the prince of the gypsies"

"Yes you DID forget to mention that one little thing, that tiny little detail. So that's why that man at the fruitstand acted so odd, that's why people were staring at us? And all the time I was thinking it was because I had straw in my hair! Imagine what they were thinking of me? Wait, no! What were you thinking? You're a real monster you are! Preying on niave girls and befriending them, letting the whole town think something that isn't! You! Ugh, you make me so angry! I-"

Velkan was doubled over laughing. His face in a mixture of hilarity and enjoyment. "Please Leena, I didn't know you didn't know who I was when I told you my name. I thought you knew who Prince Velkan was"'

"That's not the point"

"Oh, I believe it is"

"No it isn't! Why do you have look at me like that!"

Leena threw up her arms in exaspiration and screamed all the while Velkan continued to laugh and her father just stood there shocked and awed by the situation.

"Come have dinner with my family" Velkan said randomly as he was growing sober from his fit of laughter.

"What?"

"Yes, come have dinner with us."

"You want me , a country girl to have dinner with the royal family of Transylvania? You ARE insane. I mean there will bound to be all these customs that I won't know. You're doing it just to make fun of me. What will your family think of me?"

"So you DO care"

"What would make you say such a thing?"

"What made you say what you said?"

"there you are, being unfair again"

"I'm not being unfair my dear Leena. Dinner is at seven up at the castle. This is Transylvania, not France. I do not know of these customs you are talking about. Your father is invited too. And please," he added with a smile, "No jumping off wagons at the castle. It's clumsy and rude"

With that final comment Prince Velkan walked away laughing as Leena's father looked on at his daughter in awe, "Well then" he finally said breaking the silence, "I suppose we had better buy you a new dress"


End file.
